CRIME

Remembering Michael Brown: College-bound shooting victim called 'little kid in a big body'

Associated Press
Published | Updated

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Brown family shows Michael Brown. Michael Brown Jr. was on the verge of starting college, eager to launch himself into the adult world. Instead, on Monday he’ll be mourned at his funeral, more than two weeks after his fatal shooting by a white police officer. (AP Photo/Brown Family, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - This undated file family file photo provided by the Brown family and held by Michael Brown Sr., shows Michael Brown Sr., at right, his son, Michael Brown, top left, and a young child. Michael Brown Jr. was on the verge of starting college, eager to launch himself into the adult world. Instead, on Monday he’ll be mourned at his funeral, more than two weeks after his fatal shooting by a white police officer. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In a Monday, Aug. 18, 2014 file photo, protestors autograph a sketch of Michael Brown during a protest, in Atlanta. Michael Brown Jr. was on the verge of starting college, eager to launch himself into the adult world. Instead, on Monday he’ll be mourned at his funeral, more than two weeks after his fatal shooting by a white police officer. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) (The Associated Press)

Michael Brown Jr. was on the verge of starting college, eager to launch himself into the adult world.

Instead, he'll be mourned at his funeral on Monday, more than two weeks after he was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.

Civil rights leaders have said the shooting in this predominantly black St. Louis suburb revived long simmering questions about police treatment of minorities across the country.

The profile of Brown that has emerged is one of a young man built like a lineman who was an aspiring rapper, a fan of computer games and a struggling student who buckled down to get his high school diploma.

Brown was preparing to attend Vatterott College, where he planned to study to become a heating and air conditioning technician.